Guidance, Navigation & Control Engineer

Destinus; Katwijk; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Destinus leads a European consortium, seeking a senior GNC engineer to own flight simulation, navigation, guidance, and control algorithms for an exo-atmospheric interceptor. You will translate model results into vehicle requirements and collaborate with a cross-functional team to drive hardware‑in‑the‑loop readiness and mission success.

You will contribute to the design and validation of GNC loops across hypersonic and space applications, applying MATLAB/Simulink and Python to deliver

Qualifications

• BSc, MSc, or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Control Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or a related field.
• 10+ years of GNC experience on missiles, interceptors, spacecraft, launch vehicles, or comparable high‑performance systems.
• Strong expertise in at least two areas across guidance, navigation and estimation, and control, with solid understanding across the complete GNC loop.
• Experience developing and implementing flight-proven systems for hypersonic and/or space applications, including qualified hardware and software.
• Nice to have: hardware-in-the-loop testing and/or flight testing.

Responsibilities

• Build and own the six‑degree‑of‑freedom flight simulation used as the reference model for vehicle performance and analysis
• Develop navigation and estimation throughout the flight, manage the error budget through handover, and develop terminal guidance for the final engagement
• Own the terminal miss budget, quantifying how sensing noise, timing, disturbances, and other uncertainties affect end‑to‑end accuracy
• Design and tune control algorithms across the phases of flight, assessing stability and robustness throughout the operating envelope
• Run analysis and simulation campaigns across nominal and stressing conditions, translating findings into vehicle and subsystem requirements
• Work closely with the wider engineering team to integrate GNC performance into the overall interceptor design

Skills

GNC concepts

Flight simulation

Navigation

Guidance

Control algorithms

System-level thinking

Education

BSc, MSc, or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Control Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or a related field

Tools

MATLAB

Simulink

Python

Hardware-in-the-loop testing

Job description

Imagine this, you own the guidance, navigation, and control behind an exo-atmospheric interceptor, including the final seconds where precision determines whether the engagement succeeds.

Bliksem Exo is a four-nation European consortium developing an anti-ballistic missile system at operational pace. Destinus is the programme prime and responsible for the exo-atmospheric interceptor, engineered for affordability and production at scale.

In this role, you will own the flight simulation, navigation, guidance, and control algorithms that take the interceptor from flight to terminal engagement. You will work hands‑on with the models and analysis, translating performance results directly into vehicle requirements and engineering decisions.

At Destinus, we are revolutionizing the defense industry with cutting‑edge Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Our innovative technologies are designed to meet the unique demands of modern defense operations, delivering unparalleled speed, precision, and cost effectiveness. Destinus partners with government agencies and defense organizations worldwide to provide advanced solutions for mission‑critical operations, enabling a new era of efficiency and technological superiority. Join us in shaping the future of defense with groundbreaking aerospace innovations.

What You’ll Do

• Build and own the six‑degree‑of‑freedom flight simulation used as the reference model for vehicle performance and analysis
• Develop navigation and estimation throughout the flight, manage the error budget through handover, and develop terminal guidance for the final engagement
• Own the terminal miss budget, quantifying how sensing noise, timing, disturbances, and other uncertainties affect end‑to‑end accuracy
• Design and tune control algorithms across the phases of flight, assessing stability and robustness throughout the operating envelope
• Run analysis and simulation campaigns across nominal and stressing conditions, translating findings into vehicle and subsystem requirements
• Work closely with the wider engineering team to integrate GNC performance into the overall interceptor design

Who You Are

• You are comfortable owning complex GNC problems from mathematical models through implementation and validation
• You think in terms of complete system performance rather than isolated algorithms
• You challenge models, assumptions, and results until you understand what drives performance
• You thrive in a small technical team where ownership, speed, and engineering judgement matter

• BSc, MSc, or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Control Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or a related field
• 10+ years of GNC experience on missiles, interceptors, spacecraft, launch vehicles, or comparable high‑performance systems
• Strong expertise in at least two areas across guidance, navigation and estimation, and control, with solid understanding across the complete GNC loop
• Experience developing and implementing flight‑proven systems for hypersonic and/or space applications, including qualified hardware and software
• Strong MATLAB, Simulink and/or Python skills
• Nice to have: Experience taking GNC systems through hardware‑in‑the‑loop testing and/or flight testing